sleep t

iss. His whispered apology. The way he'd looked at me in the clearing like I was something precio

them off

faded. For now. It meant there would be more. It meant the threat was

nk and gold, I gave up on sleep. I dressed quickly and st

hed, tense, waiting. Warriors moved between huts, their faces grim. Some carried bandage

in fresh bandages. He looked up when I approached

fully. "You shouldn't be

beside him on the bench outside the hut. "P

maybe more. They hit the northern border just after midnight.

t w

irch. They were on patrol when the

had time to learn everyone's names-but they were pack.

ued quietly. "Tanner was one of his o

posing. The door was closed, the windows dark. Was Damon in there, grieving alone? Or

him," I murmured

. Said he needed time to think." He paused, then added,

ust the familiar ache of being excluded. Caleb could be with him.

t me. This was about the pack, about mourni

o?" I asked Finn. "For the

y, yes. The healer's overwhelmed. If

e finished the sentence.

ing hut

marks to broken bones. The pack healer, an older woman named Marta, moved betw

prise flickering across her face. "You

e she could finish whatever dismissive

gesturing toward a young warrior with a deep gash in his side. "

The warrior-his name was Kael, I remembered suddenly-winc

rmured. "I kn

strained. "Better than being

ching, bandaging. The movements were familiar-my mother had been a healer

ut the Red Claw's numbers, about how close they'd come to breaching the border. The mood was g

low. "You know that, right? Red Claw's been wanting

er replied. "Alpha Damon won

can't fight a war alone.

door opened. I looked up, my hands still pres

od in the

led and stained with blood. But his gaze found me immediately, an

rough. "I didn't exp

ing off Kael's bandage and stood, wipi

. Planning. Refusing to sleep."

like a physical

were in your hut, resting." A ghost of a smile

toward him, lowering my voice so the others would

en nodded toward the

he chill in the air. We walked in silence for a moment, away from the hu

hit us in three places at once-distractions, mostly, but it divided our forc

hey di

one. They were testing us, Elara. Probing our defenses.

urning to face him.

acks." He ran a hand through his hair, a gesture of frustration I was beginning to recognize. "Da

around myself, suddenly cold

he's not good at letting people in. Never has been. Even when

came out before I could stop it. "F

as alone, wandering the forest. Damon's father found me, brought me to the pack. Gave me a home." He paused. "Damon was eigh

?" I ask

eady, certain. "And I'd die for you, Elara.

I belonged anywhere since I'd come to Shadowfang, but in that moment, stan

whispered. "F

e that made my heart flutter in w

le between us. Then a twig snapped somewhere in the dis

ou hea

thing. Then-a rustle of leaves, soft and de

eady shifting into a protective stanc

from between the trees-a woman, small and

i

Beta Caleb! Luna! I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to startle yo

g through me. "What are you doing out here

if I just walked a little, maybe I could calm down..." She trailed off, her eyes darting to the trees be

ately alert. "Di

room even though you can't see them." She shivered, wrapping he

said firmly. "And I'm posting guards n

hake the unease that had settled over me. If Mira was right-if someone really was watching

her hut, speaking quietly with two warriors who woul

this to Damon. W

managed a smile. "

arching my face. Then he nodded and walked

hatever was coming. But instead, I found myself walking toward t

nside-Damon's deep rumble, Caleb's quieter ton

inded myself. He's planning, griev

d frozen in the air, the

e just stared at me, surprise flickering across his features. Then something

was rough. "What

me out before I could stop them. "I

hen, without a word, he reached out,

ur hut, though I'd never thought of it that way. Maps and papers covered the table

ing my hand. "I'm tired. I'm angry. I'm grievi

gers. "You don't h

irst time since our wedding night, I saw the man beneath

ered. "I'm startin

ld on his shoulders and the shadows closing in

d by him. I would be the Luna

were other promises waiting to be made-promises that had nothing to do with duty, and everyth

cold and distant, and somewhere

s a w

were ready for